Peltier Clemency denied, but fight far from over

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From the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee via IPPN:


DAY OF SHAME :

WE MUST STAY TOGETHER AND KEEP ON FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE FOR LEONARD


January 20, 2001

Dear Friends,


 Today is a grim and shameful day. We must confirm that President Clinton,
despite all his good words this week about racial  unity, "One America", and
healing historical injustices, has denied clemency to Leonard Peltier. We do
not know why. Yet disturbing questions are obviously raised by the last
minute "deal" on the Monica Lewinsky perjury issue.

 Leonard himself has asked that we thank each and every one of you for your
phenomenal efforts on his behalf during the last year.  Towards the end the
world support had turned into a literal human rights tidal wave, with every
high level  leader and organization calling or writing to President Clinton
on Leonard's behalf. Yet somehow  it was not enough to outweigh the
outright terror the FBI was able to instill in our government leadership.

 We  are all hurting badly just now, and we ask that you turn your prayers
and  thoughts towards Leonard himself  today.  Send him letters of support
and stay with us. We must remain tightly organized.

 We will be in a huddle with lawyers and  organizers for the next several
days  working on new plans and proposals. We will have to work out a very
new strategy, as President Bush's government will be quite different from
Clinton's.(or perhaps not so different after all).  Bear with us while we
reorganize and do some new thinking.and of course send us your ideas and
thoughts as well.

 We know you want to keep up the fight and we know that this must be done.
The future of  our society depends on  our point blank insistence on justice
for all.

 Please watch our web site and  keep checking in. We will have some new
strategies and battle plans  ready to go very soon. We must never leave
Leonard behind, but  we can only bring him home if we keep working together.

 This network has grown to amazing new levels of strength and commitment
this year.  We must take a breather now but we must not fall apart or  give
up. Leonard is depending on us. If he can keep up his sacrificing then so
must we.


In Solidarity,
LPDC



(Here is a statement for the press which you can forward to local media if
you'd like.)


LEONARD PELTIER DEFENSE COMMITTEE

PUBLIC STATEMENT REGARDING DENIAL OF CLEMENCY  : "DAY OF SHAME"


We were both shocked and saddened by President Clinton's decision to deny
executive clemency to Leonard Peltier.  During the last few days world
support for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Peltier had
reached remarkable levels, with calls and letters arriving from  such
renowned human rights and religious leaders as  Coretta Scott King, the
Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Amnesty International, Nobel
Laureate Rigoberta Menchu and the Archbishop Desmond Tutu, amongst many
others. Grassroots support from people across the country had swamped the
White House phone and fax lines for months. Native nations and organizations
made their support known again and again in powerful messages. Thousands of
concerned citizens walked and prayed in the streets of New York on
International Human Rights Day. Yet somehow none of this was enough.

Why? The question remains for  William Clinton to answer.  The fact that so
light a penalty attached to the perjury charge in the Monica Lewinsky case
raises disturbing issues. We would like an explanation.

For many weeks now President Clinton had called for national reconciliation
and racial unity in this country. He has called for "One America" and
emphasized the great racial disparity and discrimination so evident in our
criminal justice system. He has called again and again for respect and
equality for all races. He has stressed the need for righting historical
injustices and healing  long festering wounds inflicted upon people of
color. He has insisted that the United States take its place as a world
leader of human rights affairs. He has personally visited Pine Ridge
Reservation, the site of the tragic shoot out at Oglala  a long and bitter
quarter of a century ago, and called for greater respect and justice for our
first citizens.

Yet in this last and most critical test , President Clinton has betrayed his
own goals and ideals. Again we must ask why?

Leonard Peltier has been imprisoned for 25 years without ever receiving the
benefit of a fair trial. The FBI  forced Myrtle Poor Bear to sign a false
affidavit, then committed fraud upon the Canadian government by presenting
her statement to their courts of law. Three teenaged boys were terrorized
and coerced into giving false testimonies to the grand jury and at his
trial. A ballistics test reflecting his innocence was concealed from the
defense and the FBI expert  gave distorted testimony to the jury. No
consequences for these illegal acts have ever attached. Today even the
United States Attorneys admit that no one knows who fired the fatal shots.
Yet Leonard Peltier was denied a new trial on a technicality, with the judge
admitting that a strong doubt was cast on the prosecution's case. Even that
judge now supports clemency . Meanwhile Mr. Peltier himself is long overdue
for parole and  receives human rights awards for the remarkable  human
rights work he  carries out from behind bars. He is now in failing health.

Most disturbing still is the fact that Leonard's  highly controversial
conviction is deeply rooted in one of the most grim chapters of recent
American civil rights history, specifically the Pine Ridge Reign of Terror.
Between 1973 and 1976 , FBI backed vigilantes terrorized, battered and
assaulted scores of  Lakota traditionalists and AIM supporters  throughout
the reservation. Houses burned  and  entire families were wounded in drive
by shootings. While the FBI stood by, some 64 AIM members and supporters
were murdered, their deaths never properly investigated or vindicated.
Civil rights organizations excoriated FBI abuses again and again.

It can hardly be gainsaid that the history of  our government's dealings
with the first citizens of this country have been tragic at best, and
oftentimes shameful. It is difficult to imagine a case more crucial to
national reconciliation and healing that the case of Leonard Peltier. Yet a
door, instead of opening , has been slammed and locked.  Our society will
pay the price.

 Today will be remembered as but another day of U.S. government shame and
betrayal of Native people.

Leonard Peltier Defense Committee
PO Box 583
Lawrence, KS 66044
785-842-5774
www.freepeltier.org
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